Pneumatic action



Mar. "27, 1923.

PNEUMATIC ACTION. FILED NOV. 28. m9.

fig! 5* 32 30 T3 30 i I L H If w i 1,449,992.. A. P. GUSTAFSON.

Patented Mar. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1,449,992 PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH P. GUSTAFSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO M. SCHULZ COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC ACTION.

I Application filed November 28, 1 919.

'1 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLPH P. GUSTAFSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic Actions, of which the following is a. full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to pneumatic actions, particularly of the kind used in pneumatically operated piano players and player pianos.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple, practical and advantageous construction of pneumatic action of the kind mentioned.

Another object of the invention is to secure simplicity of construction and low cost of manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to obtain compactness of construction so as to reduce the necessary space occupied by the action.

Another object of the invention is to obtain quickness and accuracy of operation, and also to secure a high degree of power.

Another object of the invention is to secure the foregoing and other desirable results in a simple and expeditious manner.

. In the accompanying drawings Fig. l is a plan view of a portion of a pneumatic ac- I tion embodying my present invention; 35

Fig.2 is a cross section taken on line 22in Fig.1; v

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections taken on lines 33 and 1- 1 respectively, in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings I sho-wa pneumatic action in which there is a longitudinally extending windway member 1, preferably in the form of a metallic tube or pipe. At intervals along this member 1 there are located structures 22 which are combined valve mechanisms and pneumatics.

Each of these structures or members 2 comprises a piece or block 3 which is hol-.

lowed or bored out to form chambers 4 and 5, the former of which contains a small or valve operating pneumatic 6 and the latter of which contains an operating valve 7. Said member 3 is also cut, bored or hollowed out to form a supplemental chamber or passage 8 extending between the chambers 4 Serial No. 341,147.

zontal position by reason of the inclination of the sur-ace 10. Said member 11 carries a hook or arm 12 on which is hung. the valve 7. The valve chamber 5 is in part closed by a disklike member 13 having an aperture 14 forming a port for the valve 7.

The block or piece 3 is constructed to form part of an operating or power pneumatic, the lower portion 3 of said member 3 serving as the upper and fixed part of said pneumatic, and a swinging member 16 being secured to said member 3 and provided with flexible material 17 so that the member 16 forms the swinging part or member or a power pneumatic, said member 16 being hinged at 18. Preferably the member 16 is hinged along one of its long sides instead of one of its short sides, so that the pneumatic thus formed swings transversely of its length instead of longitudinally, and thereby provides a short instead of a long swinging member.

The valve chamber 5 communicates with the interior 19 of said pneumatic by means of passages 21-21 extended down from said valve chamber 5 at one side of the member 2.

A tracker boa-rd tube 23 is shown extending to and having .its end inserted in the end of the member 3 and communicating with the passage 24 which in turn communicates with the interior of the small pneumatic 6. A bleed port 27 is provided in the swinging member 11 of said pneumatic 6, said bleed port being preferably formed as a small aperture in a metal nipple 28 set in said member 11. A small duct or passage 29 is formed in the member 11 below the aperture 27 so as to communicate with the interior of said pneumatic 3.

The members 2-2 may be secured to the windway member 1 in any preferred manner, as for example by metallic tie strips 30 secured to the members 2 by screws 3131 and 32-32, and arranged to cover or surround in' part said member 1. By this pressure, be as follows: The reduced air pressure of by the music sheet, the

arrangement any one of the members 2 may be removed without removing any of the others, by simply loosening or removing the screw 32 and springing the clip so as to withdraw the member 2 from said member 1.

A rectangular plate member 3 is positioned above the block 3 and the space therebetween is preferably enclosed by extending the flexible pneumatic material 17 upward to form side and end walls. Collapse of the parts 3 and 3 is prevented when the chain-f bers 4c, 5 and 8 are placed under reduced "atmospheric pressure, by the clip 30, which is fastened at one end to the member 3 and at the other to member 3 by means of a screw 32.

Assuming that the apparatus is operated by reduced air pressure and that the memher 1 is connected with suitable devices or apparatus for reducing normal atmospheric the operation of the action will the member 1 will be communicated through the-apertures 9-9 to the chambers 4, 5 and 8. Normally the tracker tube 23 being closed pneumatic 6 will be in a partially deflated condition, and the valve 7 will be held upwardly against the member 13 so as to close'the port 14. Thus the chamber 8 will be closed to the pneumatic 1 7 and said pneumatic will be in communication with the outside air through the port or passage 34:, and will therefore be in anfextended or expanded condition. When the aperture in the music. sheet opens the tracker tube 23 air will enter said tube and expand the'pneumatic 6, throwing or swingingmember 11 thereof upwardly and depressing the valve 7 so that said valve will "close the air port or passage 34 and open the exhaust, port 14:, thereby placing the chamber 8 in communication with the interior of the pneumatic 17 and causing the collapse of said pneumatic. This will cause the operation of the mechanism controlled by said pneumatic, as for example the elevation of the sticker of a piano action. W hen the tracker tube 23 is again closed .air will be; exhausted from the small pneumatic 6 by the bleed port 27 thus permitting the swinging member 11' of said pneumatic, to swing downwardly and elevate the valve 7, again opening the pneumatic 17 to the outside air and shutting it off from reduced air pressure, and thereby expanding said pneumatlc. c i

' Thus it will be seen that the action is very simple, involving but afew parts, and very compact, taking but a small amount of space. The members 2 may be made of but three pieces 3", 3 and 16, whereby both valve mechanism and power or operating pneumatic may be practically formed by a single structure embodying but three frame .or casing members within two' of which the valve and its operating mechanism are, arranged, the other one of these three main members being simply the swinging member of the power pneumatic. These members 3 3 and 16, particularly the member 3, may be advantageously made of wood, in which case the chambers 4, 5 and 8 may be formed 0r hollowed out in the member 3, and then these members secured together and the swinging pneumatic member 16 added. The use of the lower part of the member 3 as part of the power or striking pneumatic simplifies the construction and dispenses with a separate piece for the fixed member of the pneumatic which is commonly present in devices of'this sort.

t will be understood that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a pneumatic action, "a valve containing structure comprising an upper rectan gular member, an intermediate member and a lower member, said lower member forming the swinging member of an operating pneumatic, said intermediate member having chambers formed therein, a valve operating device mounted in one of the chambers, a valve mounted in another of the chambers, and wall membersconnecting the upper and intermediate members I so as to form a vacuum. chamber between said upper and intermediate members.

2fln a pneumatic action, a valve containing casing comprising upper, intermediate and wall members having a space between them forn'iing a vacuum chamber, a valve operating device partially in said chamber and'resting in a chamber formed in said intermediate member,a valve arranged'in a valve chamber formed in said intermediate member, and a third member arranged bea low said intermediate member and forming the swinging leaf of a pneumatic, said interiediate' member having ducts between said valve chamber and said pneumatic and between said valve chamber and the outside air. i

3. A power pneumatic structure comprising a casing formed by upper, intermediate and lower members, the upper and intermediate members being separated, wall members connectingsaid upper and intermediate members to form a wind chest, said intermediate member forming the upper and fixed member of a power pneumatic, and the lower member forming the other and swinging member of said pneumatic, a small pneumatic mounted in a chamber formed in the intermediate member, the intermediate memher having a duct for a tracker tube communicating with said small pneumatic and also having a valve chamber and a duct leading therefrom to the interior of the pneumatic,

outside air, and a valve located in said valve chamber and connected with said small pneumatic.

4. A power pneumatic structure comprising a casing formed by upper, intermediate and lower members, the upper and intermediate members being separated, wall members connecting said upper and intermediate members to form a wind chest, said intermediate member forming the upper and fixed member of a power pneumatic, and the lower member forming the other and swinging member of said pneumatic, a small pneumatic mounted in a chamber formed in the intermediate member, the intermediate memher having a duct for a tracker tube communicating with said small pneumatic and also having a valve chamber and a duct leading therefrom to the interior of the pneumatic, another duct leading therefrom to the outside air, a valve located in said valve chamber and connected with said small pneumatic, and a wind trunk secured to one side of said structure and communicating with said space or chamber between said upper and intermediate members.

5. In a pneumatic action a valve casing structure comprising a solid upper rectangular member and an intermediate member which latter is provided with chambers for a valve and a valve operating device, and a third member and forming the swinging member of an operating pneumatic,'in combination with a longitudinally extending windway member to the side of which said valve casing structure is secured.

6. In a pneumatic action a valve casing structure comprising a solid upper member and an intermediate member which latter is provided with chambers for a valve and a valve operating device, and a third member hinged to said intermediate member and forming the swinging member of an operathinged to said second member I ing penumatic, in combination with a longitudinally extending windway member to the side of which said valx e casing structure is secured, said intermediate member being cut away to form a recess for said windway member.

7. In a pneumatic action a valve casing structure comprising an upper member and an intermediate member which latter is provided with chambers for a valve and a valve operating device, and a bottom member hinged to said intermediate member and forming the swinging member of an operating pneumatic, in combination with a longitudinally extending windway member to the side of which said valve casing structure is secured, said intermediate member being cut away to form a recess for said windway member, said intermediate member being provided with surfaces fitting against the side and bottom of said windway member, said upper and bottom members being rectangular blocks.

8. The combination with a longitudinally extending windway member in the form of a metal tube, of a valve containing structure having its end fitted against the side of said tube, said valve containing structure comprising upper, intermediate and bottom members and means for securing said valve containing structure and windway member together comprising a spring clip 30 having one of its ends secured to the upper member and its intermediate portion fitted over said tubular member, and its other end portion engaged by a threaded member 32 which passes into the intermediate member,

said clip 80 being shaped and positioned so as to hold the upper and intermediate members apart.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 14th day of November, A. D. 1919.

ADOLPH P. GUSTAFSON. 

